Thomas v. Walmer

46 N.E. 695, 18 Ind. App. 112, 1897 Ind. App. LEXIS 175
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 30, 1897
DocketNo. 2,129
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 46 N.E. 695 (Thomas v. Walmer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas v. Walmer, 46 N.E. 695, 18 Ind. App. 112, 1897 Ind. App. LEXIS 175 (Ind. Ct. App. 1897).

Opinion

Henley, J. —

The appellant began this action in replevin against the appellees to recover the possession of certain personal property. The complaint was filed before a justice of the peace, and a trial was had, which resulted in a verdict and judgment in favor of appellant. The case was appealed to the circuit court of Blackford county, where the venue was changed to the Wells Circuit Court, the cause being there submitted to a jury. The court required the jury to return a special verdict upon all the issues in the cause by way of answers to interrogatories. Appellant moved for judgment upon the verdict so returned, which motion was overruled, and upon appellees’ motion judgment was'rendered in favor of appellees, and against appellant.

Appellees, Walmer and Wiecking, held the judgment against the appellant upon which the execution was issued, and placed in the hands of the appellee, McDowell, the constable; under which execution he obtained the goods sought to be recovered by appellant in this action.

The question presented for decision by each of the specifications of appellant’s assignment of errors is simply this: Is appellant entitled to claim as exempt these goods described in her complaint, as against the execution by virtue of which the constable acquired possession of them?

The judgment upon which the execution issued was obtained by appellees, Walmer and Wiecking, [114]*114against the appellant in an action before a justice of the peace upon a complaint, of which the following is a copy:

“State of Indiana, Blackford County.
“Before Grant N. Henderson, a justice of the peace for Harrison Township, Blackford County, Indiana.
“Herman Weicking and David A. Walmer vs. Belle Thomas. Complaint for possession of real estate and for damages. “The plaintiffs complain of the defendant, Belle Thomas, who signs her name B. Thomas, and says, that on the 18th day of August, 1894, the plaintiffs, by lease duly executed by plaintiffs and defendant, a copy of which is filed herewith and made a part of this complaint, leased to the defendant for the term of one year from said date the following described real estate, in the county of Blackford, in the State of Indiana, to-wit: The east room on the first floor, the east part of the basement, and rooms four and five of .the second floor of the two-story brick building, situated on the north part of lot number 3, in block number 7, in the original plat of the town of Montpelier, known as the Walmer and Wiecking block; that by the terms of said lease the defendant covenanted to pay as rent for said real estate $47.50 per month, payable on the 18th day of each and every month in advance; that upon such failure of the defendant to pay any of said installments when the same shall become due, said lease shall terminate at once without notice, and if suit bfe instituted to collect rents or to obtain possession of said premises, the said defendant agrees to pay attorney’s fees therefor; that the defendant thereupon entered upon said premises under said lease; that the defendant neglected and failed to pay the installment of rent coming due since date to the present time, or any part thereof, and the same re[115]*115mains wholly unpaid; that by the terms of said lease, and the failure of the defendant to pay said rent when due, said tenancy has terminated; but the defendant, since the 18th day of November, 1894, unlawfully held over, and still retains possession of said premises, whereby plaintiff has been damaged in the sum of $150.00; that a reasonable fee for plaintiff’s attorney in this action is $25.00. Wherefore, plaintiffs demand judgment for the possession of said real estate, and for $150.00 damages and $25.00 attorney’s fees, and all other proper relief. Boyd & Mason, attorneys for plaintiff.”

The rental contract provided that the rent should be paid in advance on the 18th day of each month, and that upon failure so to do the lease should terminate at once without notice, and appellees could themselves, their representatives, or assigns, enter and take possession of said premises, and expel the occupant thereof without in any way being trespassers.

The judgment rendered by the justice of the peace was: “It is therefore considered and adjudged by me that said plaintiffs have possession of said premises, and do have and recover of said defendant the sum of $107.87 damages, with $15.00 attorney’s fees, together with the costs of this action and accruing costs.”

Upon this judgment an execution issued, and was placed in the hands of McDowell, a constable, who levied the same upon the goods of the appellant.

Appellant, at the proper time, filed her sworn schedule, claiming as exempt the goods in controversy herein. She was a householder under the law, and her property all together did not amount to $600.00.

The facts are fully found by the special verdict of the jury.

It is contended by counsel for appellant that the [116]*116action begun by the appellees, Walmer and Wiecking, against appellant was an action upon a written contract, and that the judgment therein obtained was necessarily ex contractu. A copy of the complaint, in the action last referred to, and of the judgment therein, have heretofore been set out in the opinion. Appellees name their cause of action in the complaint, “Complaint for possession of real estate and for damages.” No demand of judgment for rents unpaid is made in the complaint, but damages were demanded for the unlawful detention of the property, and to make that detention unlawful the complaint seeks to show, by averment, the breach of certain conditions of a written lease or contract by which appellant obtained possession of the property.

.We do not think the fact that the written contract was made a part of the complaint in any way aided the complaint, nor did such a contract in any manner change the nature of the cause of action stated in the complaint. The contract was, of course, a very necessary part of the plaintiff’s evidence in said action, but, the pleading of evidence cannot, in a case of this kind, alter or vary the material allegations which give force to the complaint and character to the action.

The judgment obtained against the appellant was upon an action authorized by section 7106, Burns’ R. S. 1894 (5225, R. S. 1881), and under section 7094, Burns’ R. S. 1894 (5213, R. 8. 1881), appellant became a tortfeasor, immediately upon her failure to pay the rent in advance upon the day named in the contract, and her possession from that day became unlawful, and no notice to her was necessary to make such possession assume the unlawful character.

Appellees could have begun this action upon the contract for .the recovery of the rent at the stipulated rate per month, but they elected to take the statutory [117]*117remedy, and bring an action for possession of the property, and damages for its unlawful detention.

The measure of damages was the rental value of the premises from the time at which the holding became unlawful until the time of the trial. Eecovery of such damages is, by the statute, made an incident to the summary proceeding to recover possession of the premises.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
46 N.E. 695, 18 Ind. App. 112, 1897 Ind. App. LEXIS 175, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-v-walmer-indctapp-1897.